Twin Peril

She gasped, the scene so vivid she felt as if she was right there with him.

“And when the shooting started, I instinctively protected the kid who’d betrayed us, leaving my partner open. He died as a result of my actions.” Jonah’s expression was grim as he faced her. “So while I don’t know what you’ve been through, Mallory, I do know that God can help carry a heavy burden.”

A long silence stretched between them, and she had no idea what to say. But she realized that Jonah’s past was just as difficult to live with as hers.

Jonah reached out to touch the Bible. “Without faith, I would never have made it through the worst time of my life.”

She gave a helpless shrug. “I guess I just don’t understand how believing in God helps.”

“It’s hard to explain,” he admitted. “But I can tell you that God doesn’t abandon us when we need Him. He’s there for us, always.”

She didn’t believe God was there for her. Not back when she was seventeen, or when Caruso’s thug tried to kill her.

Unless God had sent Jonah to save her?

No, she didn’t really believe that, and this wasn’t the time or place to argue with Jonah over religion.

“Maybe at some point, you’ll give it a try,” Jonah said. “However, right now, we need to think of some way to get evidence against Caruso.”

She was glad he let the subject drop. “I went back over the night of the fundraiser, and there is one other thing I remember. Although I’m not sure it means much.”

He leaned forward. “What is it?”

“There was a brief disagreement between Jefferson and Caruso. I didn’t really pay much attention then, but looking back, it was right about the time Jefferson took a phone call. I think the news may have been about Schaefer.”

“Can you remember exactly what was said? By

either Jefferson or Caruso?”

“Caruso said something like, ‘I wouldn’t have to worry if you weren’t such an amateur.’” She wished she’d heard what they were saying. “At the time, I assumed they were talking about investments, but now I’m thinking the conversation may have referred to having Schaefer stabbed and being forced to attribute the stabbing to gang activity.”

“You could be right. Nice detective work, Mallory.”

She blushed and shrugged off the compliment. No doubt Jonah was simply trying to stay on her good side. “So now what? Where do we go from here?”

He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Good question. Give me some time to pull myself together, and I’ll try to come up with a plan.”

“As long as your plan doesn’t involve me turning myself in to the D.A.,” she murmured as she turned away. No matter how good of a detective Jonah was, he couldn’t possibly find proof she couldn’t even be sure existed. And they couldn’t stay on the run forever—they both had jobs, careers to get back to.

A wave of hopelessness washed over her. For a fleeting moment, she surprised herself and considered trying to pray. Except she didn’t know how and didn’t really think God would listen to someone like her even if she did.

She was better off relying only on herself—the way she’d always done.

* * *

Jonah examined his incision as well as he could in the mirror above the sink in the bathroom. It looked worse than he’d anticipated. He applied some antibacterial ointment before slapping a new gauze dressing over the area where he’d popped two stitches. At least the wound had stopped bleeding. He was glad Alyssa had forced him to bring first-aid supplies, although she’d no doubt be upset that he’d opened the wound. Belatedly remembering his antibiotics, he popped one, hoping the pills would be strong enough to ward off infection.

For a moment he stared grimly at his reflection in the mirror. What he really needed to do was call his boss and ask for someone else to watch over Mallory. Not only was he still recuperating from his stab wound and subsequent surgery, he also was too close to making the same mistake he had in the past—letting his emotions get in the way of his job.

He couldn’t cross the line and begin caring about Mallory. He never should have accepted her help in finding evidence against Caruso. She wasn’t a cop. What he needed to do was to convince his boss to put her up in some sort of safe house. A place where able-bodied cops could watch over her instead of a wounded warrior like him.

As he dressed, his cell phone rang. He picked up his phone to see who’d called.

He was expecting his boss, but it was Gage. Knowing Mallory would be thrilled to hear from her sister, he crossed over to gently tap on the door between their rooms. “Mallory? It’s Gage. Do you want to talk?”

“Yes!” She eagerly took the phone. “Alyssa?” Her face lit up with joy, and he turned away to give her some privacy. “What happened?”

Jonah knew Alyssa would fill Mallory in on everything, in much greater detail than he had. He went back into his room and waited. When she was done, he’d call his boss.

Mallory didn’t return for a good fifteen minutes, but when she handed him the phone, she was smiling. “Alyssa’s fine. She told me everything and then offered to blow off her surgery to come up here. I convinced her to stay put and take care of herself. Thankfully, for the first time ever, Gage agreed with me.”

“I’m glad.” He took the phone and punched in his boss’s number.

“Who are you calling?” she asked.

“My boss. Lieutenant Michael Finley.”

Her jaw dropped open in shock. “Your boss? I thought you said Alyssa sent you. I didn’t realize you were reporting everything to your boss.” She’d trusted Jonah with her life and didn’t appreciate how he’d held back important information.

“I’m keeping Finley updated. He knows the plan is to find the top guy involved in Jefferson’s money-

laundering scheme. Jefferson used way too much cash, and we were also able to trace his funds for the condo project to a Swiss bank account. I need to let Finley know we suspect Caruso.”

The expression on her face indicated she wasn’t happy with that news. “I thought you said there was a warrant out for my arrest.”

“There is, but I think I can convince Finley you’re being framed for Wasserman’s murder. And I think he’ll agree to put you up in a safe house.”

“A safe house?” She glared at him with dismay. “Why would I want to do that? I’d rather stay with you.”

He hardened his heart against the hurt reflected in her eyes. But he refused to let his emotions sway his decision. Putting Mallory in a safe house was the right thing to do. “Because you need to be safe, no matter what.”

“Oh, yeah?” Her blue eyes narrowed with suspicion. “And what about you?”

He looked away. “Once I know you’re safe, I plan to head back to Milwaukee or maybe even Chicago so I can find hard evidence against Caruso.”

* * *

Mallory watched with helpless anger as Jonah went outside to make his phone call, obviously seeking privacy. She went over to the door but she was unable to decipher any specific words. Dejected, she went back to her own room, waiting in the connecting doorway for him to return.

What had she done to make Jonah so anxious to be rid of her? Apparently the closeness she believed might be growing between them was nothing more than her overactive imagination. No big surprise there. She couldn’t help feeling hurt by the idea he’d leave her alone in a police safe house while continuing his investigation without her.

Apparently, Jonah preferred to work alone.

Granted, she didn’t exactly have the skills or background that Jonah did, but she knew Anthony Caruso on a personal level. Certainly that knowledge alone gave her some value.

When Jonah returned to the motel room, his closed expression reinforced her deepest fears. She wanted to scream and yell that he couldn’t leave her alone in some safe house, but knew instinctively that theatrics weren’t going to sway him off course.

Through the open connecting doors between their rooms, she saw that he’d picked up the Bible. The way he settled down to read, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, made her seethe with frustration. What was wrong with him? Didn’t he have any feelings for her at all?

Of course he didn’t, she reminded herself sternly. She wasn’t the type of woman he could ever care about on a personal level. She didn’t believe in God the way he did, for one thing. And she was part of his case against Caruso. A woman he was responsible for protecting. Until he could hand her over to someone else.

“Mallory? Are you all right?”

His soft question pulled her from her thoughts. “No, I’m not. But why would you bother asking? Haven’t you already decided the next step without caring about what I want?”

When he glanced away, she knew her point had hit home. Being right didn’t make her feel any better, though.

Jonah was silent for several long minutes. “‘He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart,’” Jonah murmured.

The phrase didn’t sound the least bit familiar, but struck a chord deep within, nonetheless. “Is that really from the Bible? It sounds more like a poem.” She was intrigued by the lyrical words.

“In a way. The Book of Psalms reads like a book of poems.”

She was surprised to hear Bible verses actually read like poems. She’d always thought they were dry and preachy. Alyssa’s friends had been involved in church activities, but she’d resisted going along, no matter how much Alyssa tried to convince her. Reluctantly curious, she walked across the threshold into his room to see for herself. As she approached, she caught sight of Jonah’s car keys sitting on top of the dresser. Without giving herself time to consider the consequences of her actions, she silently swept them into her hand and stuck them into the front pocket of her sweatshirt.

“Here, start at the beginning,” Jonah urged.

She took the Bible from his hands and tried to read but she couldn’t concentrate. The car keys were practically burning a hole clear through the fleece to her skin. Finally, she handed the Bible back to Jonah. “Sorry, it doesn’t really work for me.”

The flash of disappointment in his eyes shouldn’t have bothered her. She turned and tried not to rush as she made her way back to her room.

Once she was out of his line of vision, she paused long enough to take a deep breath. She looped her purse over her shoulder and tried to edge closer to the door.

She felt bad about leaving him here, but he’d called his boss, hadn’t he? Someone would be here soon enough to rescue him. By that time she’d be far out of reach.

She didn’t know how to explain to Jonah why she didn’t trust anyone but him. Partially because Gage and Alyssa had vouched for his integrity. Partially because he believed in God.

And most of all, because she liked him. She couldn’t remember the last time she had met a man she actually liked. A man she felt comfortable being around. She didn’t need to constantly have her guard up with Jonah.

She crossed to the door and silently turned the handle. Holding her breath, she opened it, slipped through and tried to shut it quietly behind her.

But she’d only gone two steps when Jonah’s door burst open. She was shocked speechless when he grabbed her hand, prying the car keys from her numb fingers. It happened so fast, she didn’t have a chance to react, to strike out with a roundhouse kick or a blow to his arm.

Or maybe she just couldn’t bring herself to hit Jonah.

“Nice try, Mallory,” he said in a patronizing tone.

A red haze of fury blinded her. “Let me go! I’d rather be out there on my own than stuck in some safe house with someone I don’t know!”

“Why?” he demanded, sliding the car keys deep into his pocket, far out of her reach. “I’m only doing this for your own good, Mallory. Can’t you understand I want you to be safe?”

She ground her teeth together, fighting the urge to pummel him with her fists. Were all men this annoying? She’d never been emotionally involved enough to find out. “You said yourself that there was a dirty cop working with Jefferson, helping him from the inside. How do you know there aren’t more? How do you know that Officer Crane, the cop who died, wasn’t working with someone?”

He stood there, staring at her uncertainly. Sensing she might have an edge, she pushed a little more.

“Jonah, think about it. Can you live with your decision, knowing there is a slim chance Caruso might find me and kill me inside the safe house?” She held her breath, hoping, praying he’d understand.

Because the last thing she wanted to do was go off on her own—without Jonah Stewart.

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